On a global level, expanding populations and economic growth in developing nations are driving sharp increases in electricity consumption. In its International Energy Outlook 2007, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts an electricity-consumption growth rate of approximately 3.2 percent per year in developing Asian economies, with demand doubling by 2030 and annual growth over 2 percent in Central and South America. EIA also projects that world electricity consumption will approximately double from 16,424 billion kilowatt hours, in 2004, to more than 30,364 billion kilowatt hours, in 2030.
Countries around the world are turning to nuclear energy to meet future needs because of concerns about resource availability, climate impacts and energy security. Demonstrating that nuclear power will continue to expand globally independent of U.S. actions, global nuclear power generating capacity in 2007 increased six times the rate of the previous year.
Efforts to use nuclear power reflect the growing awareness that energy resource materials are finite. Political vulnerabilities and unpredictable fossil fuel prices have led industry and governments to look for alternatives. Climate change concerns have also brought about thoughtful approaches to meeting increasing demand without contributing to global warming.
Nuclear and Other Energy Information
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